How to Properly Maintain SPS

[jeep9783]

I have been reading and reading and reading about this with google search How to achieve SPS color. I am hoping this will not turn into a dull or lost cause post. I am sure that there are others that have this question or problem.

Problem 1...I am back again running 2XFiji Purples and 2XUVL super actinic bulbs....Why?...They are all overdriven and whiteing out every thing within the first 4-6 inches of the top of the water with -1fiji and adding ATI Special Blue (12k). Even my ora birdsnest...the top of the tissue turns white and the bottom on the oppsite side of the branches that are white are turning brown...My under standing is that Birds nest loves flow and light...WTF...I put them on the bottom of the sand bed the white turns the slightest (and i meen slightest) hue of pink and the bottom stays brown.

Problem 2...Most of my digi's except my Green ones are extremely brown with really large pollip extension....If i move them up top the branch its self turn a wee bit purple but pollips stay brown...I was under the assumption that they don't need much light or flow...My green digi's are on the bottom and have ok color

As I have stated on another post I have a standard 75rr lights are 2-3inches off of the water 2 inch sand bed so there is only about 16inches of water in the tank over 100lbs of live rock (alot in sump) I am running a precision marine kalk reactor dosing 6tsp every 4 days to maintain alk at 8 and ph very stable with night drop at 7.9 and day spike at 8.1-8.2 and cal stays about 400-420...I am running an ELOS NS1000 skimmer MP20 on max reef crest mode and a HYDOR 4...The temp only moves 78-79 (1/4hp Mod Chiller) 9w uv built into chiller and 300w Heater built into chiller...Macro in Sump...Running carbon about a 1/2lb swapping out every 14 days and salinity is 1.023 constant as the kalk reactor is hooked up to ATO....

Everyone keeps saying that the bulb combination that i am using now isn't strong enough or that the corals aren't getting enough of the right spectrium of light (2Xfiji's 2XATI super actinic) but when i do take away an fiji and add a daylight stuff starts bleaching (even my hydnapora the top tips start turning white) Yes my bulbs are overdriven with ice cap 660 but I was just using one 12k bulb...Running 4 tek reflectors also

All other people that i am getting advise from have 24-30inch deep tanks and i am only working with about 16inches

Is there another culprit to look for or am I just not OCD enough and I am missing something else...Also my lighting period is 8 1/2 hrs

Thanks Chris

And I am not having a problem with growth (the growth is good) just the color...Kinda hard to explain your insanse spending problem to your friends who aren't reef geeks when you have alot of brown twiggs in your tank if u can understand that...lol

 

[c3gear]

Have you ever tried dosing Vodka? there is an article on RC with before and after pics and the Vodka makes the colors pop.

 

[jeep9783]

C3gear;372477 wrote: Have you ever tried dosing Vodka? there is an article on RC with before and after pics and the Vodka makes the colors pop.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php</a>[/QUOTE]
Just printed this and am now about to sit down and read it (no work at my place at the moment) Thanks...I just want MOJO to come fix my tank for me....It would be soooo much eaiser that way...lol

 

[chymos45]

2 items:

1. FANTASTIC post. Really wish others would be so thorough in their questions. Parameters are clearly stated, problem/question is clear, and you've told everyone what you've tried so far. Well done.

2. I also have a problem with SPS coloration. No bleaching on mine, but I saw what you were talking about when I came by your place for the orange crush acan (which is doing fantastic BTW). Growth is very slow on my SPS, but that's surely because my Ca is around 380, but I am slowly raising it as we speak. Everything else seems happy (LPS, zoas, etc.), but the SPS is brown except at the very tips. Tagging along to see what soem of the pros have to say.

 

[jeep9783]

Who does use Vodka dosing method? From my under standing me having a total water volume of about 100gal I need to use .4ml a day and observe P04 and nitrate levels...This kinda scares me putting something like this in my tank but I am willing to try if I could speak with others about this

Chymos45 did you see my two colonies of birdsnest when you came over...I have since added a lot more sps...Only the greens are showing ok color...two of my greens are auctually showing some blue purple tips....I read another article that states the eaisest sps to maintain color is a yellow acro...I have never personally seen one...anybody have one?

 

[chymos45]

jeep9783;372481 wrote: Chymos45 did you see my two colonies of birdsnest when you came over...

Yes, the birdsnest is what I saw when I was there. I remember it being pretty high in the tank with the bleaching limited to the tops of the branches. I would have to think that the lighting was the cause of this problem, but haven't the first clue about the lack of color on the SPS.

Mojo, Acroholic, DerekS, of any of you other SPS wizards please chime in with your recommendations.

Melev has a good write up on his trials with Vodka dosing. Interesting read if you have a few minutes, and gives a good protocol on how to ease into the dosing regimen.

 

[wbrown]

I had an issue with browning and bleaching. The corals were otherwise fine, but coloring was washing out.
Changed my lighting to 20K MH, 2x250W and 200W pc Actinic, and the colors are coming back.
I only dose the BRS two part keeping Ca at 400, Magnesium at 1300, and Alk at 4.5 meq/L with all other params at Amm 0, nitrite 0, nitrate &gt;10, pH 8.1, and temp 77- 79.
Moderate to high flow and a refugium with LR rubble and cheato and Octopus DW 150 or 200 (brain fade) skimmer.
So far the lighting I've tried and had strange results with are the coralife 10K, Phoenix 12K MH's. Both brands caused algae blooms and caused coral to bleach or brown out, making the switch to the 20K XM's really made a difference.
Just fer grins, my total water volume is around 115G estimated.

 

[grouper therapy]

Have you checked your phosphate and nitrate levels? My sps are my watchdogs so to speak on those two levels. If my start to loose color then iI have waited to long to change my ferric oxide and adjust my denitrator.

 

[jeep9783]

P04 is showing 0 but I just got in an low range ELOS kit that i am gonna test for tonight...and nitrate is showing 0 but i don't beleave that it is an api test kit...If i was showing 0 wouldn't my skimmer not be pulling out much skimate

 

[jeep9783]

no real algae problem but i did add a lawnmower and a vlamigi tang aoubt three weeks ago to help...i stopped feeding frozen for fear of adding po4 and started feeding mainly flakes...maybe 3 times a month i feed frozen

 

[jennm]

Aquavitro Fuel is a lot safer than Vodka. We've started using it in the shop and we see a difference.

We never used Vodka though - why waste good Vodka??

Jenn

 

[jonboyb]

I thought vodka dosing was for peeps that had both nitrate and PO issues, so not sure how helpful it could be for you.

The only parameter I noted that COULD be a little of the issue was the SG=1.023. I ran my tank in that range for a while and based on other's recommendations I bumped it to 1.026. My SPS's seem to prefer the higher SG and coloration improved with higher SG. Most notably in my encrusting montis, but all SPS's brightened up slightly. Could have been from higher trace elements in the stronger PWC's. I never had any browning SPS's to start with though even at lower SG so it seems something else may be issue.

 

[jeep9783]

There is just so many diff ways of doing this that is why it is frustrating...If there was one real fix it would be ok but there are just so many diff variables it gets confusing

 

[jonboyb]

jeep9783;372531 wrote: There is just so many diff ways of doing this that is why it is frustrating...If there was one real fix it would be ok but there are just so many diff variables it gets confusing

I feel your pain....been there, done that, still there

 

[jeep9783]

well i am by no means any where close to getting out its just frustrating seeing everyone's ora birdsnest neon pink and mine half white and half brown

 

[sailfish]

grouper therapy;372492 wrote: Have you checked your phosphate and nitrate levels? My sps are my watchdogs so to speak on those two levels. If my start to loose color then iI have waited to long to change my ferric oxide and adjust my denitrator.

+1 go get an elos tes kit for nitrate or bring it to Chris at Einstein and he will test it for you. I bet its higher the you think? How often do you change water.

How many fish do you have alot a few?

What was your PAR measurements. SPS should get a minimum of 350 IMO can they live in less yes but most of mine get 450 to 550.

Purple digi is notoriously difficult to keep all purple so not the best indicator.

I would look for pests like Ares mentioned. Mainly red bugs do you have polyp extension on Acros not digi?

All coral are not created equal. Do you know the corals in question can color up? Some brown corals will always be brown but say a Cala tort should be some version of purple/blue. Do you have some proven corals?

Joe

 

[jeep9783]

fish list
Pair of Cardinals
4 inch Lawnmower
3 inch vlamingi tang
pair of lubbocks wrasses
blue sided wrasse

Proven corals are green digi, green with purple/blue tip acro's, green monti plating, the green i beleave it is pocillopora, of course my acans are ok and two clams ok....red digi is kinda orangeish brownish

water changes are every week 2 two weeks about 10gallons using oceanic

 

[sailfish]

Well not to many fish so your Nitrate may be OK. Derek was using an API nitrate test kit then got an elos and saw he had Nitrates in the double digits. I would bring a sample to Chris and have him test it for phos and nitrate.

As for the bleaching if the DKH is stable meaning no big daly swings I do not get it. Hmm I doubt you par is that high.

Someone mentioned par readings do you know what yours is?

What color is the green monti plate?

 

[jeep9783]

A dark green like on the verge of wanting to go brown but it has tremondous growth (refering to the monti)...I don't have a par meter....that would deff tell me where my corals should be placed...like i said i am overdriveing 2fiji's and 2 ati super blue's and if my birdsnest are bleaching then i know that the par is there...also have an acro that i got from chris (bonsi or something) it has long skinny branches started off green i moved it up in the mid section and started turning grayish moved it down to the sand bed and it is getting some green color back...same thing with my starry night i had to move it down to the bottom to maintain its color

 

[william1]

Are these the 48" bulbs your overdriving? 16" of water isnt that deep when your overdriving T5 bulbs mostly if there 54 watts each overdriven to 80 watts or so. Have you always been overdriving them.

I was running an 8 bulb tek light over my 90 gallon with great success and it was over 24" deep. Great coloration in all my sps with super polyp extension. Could it just be theres to much par being its only 16" deep. And your getting some bleaching.